Almond Tart

Here is how to make a delicious almond tart from scratch

with a moist and soft almond filling over a buttery crust and a little spread of apricot preserve for extra flavor

Looking for a delicious, nutty, buttery, crumbly dessert that is easy to make and everybody will love?!? You've come to the right place!
Today I'd like to show you that preparing this almond tart from scratch is not really hard.  Start with the base recipe for the crust, which I've used many times in several recipes (with small variations). And the good news about my crust recipe: you don't need to wait for the dough to chill in the refrigerator before baking ... which I always feel it's a big waste of time. AND, more importantly, you don't need a rolling pin to stretch the dough. Just mix the ingredients in a bowl, move the dough directly on the greased tart pan (better if you have one with the removable bottom) and press it down and mold it with your hands. Very easy and a lot less messy! And I promise, if you follow the directions, your tart will look just as beautiful as mine :)

On top of the crust, I spread some apricot preserve, for extra moist and flavor. You can choose a different fruit preserve if you prefer, like peach, plum, fig, berry... Or, just skip the preserve all together. In this case, I suggest adding half teaspoon of almond extract to the filling, for a more nutty aroma.
Note, for this recipe you will need two whole eggs (separated) and three extra egg whites. So, this recipe comes handy when you have left over whites that you don't want to throw away. I made a delicious creme brulee' yesterday, which was devoured as soon as I was finished caramelizing the top with my torch. I saved the egg whites in a bowl in the refrigerator, and today... BAM!! Here is my tart. And I can have it now for breakfast with your cappuccino, for the kid's mid-morning snack, or tonight after dinner for dessert. This is great anytime and anywhere!
... especially at the beach :)

 Enjoy :) 

Ingredients: to make an 11 in (28 cm) tart     PRINTABLE RECIPE
For the crust:

• 2 egg yolks 
• 1/3 cup (75 gr) of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• a pinch of salt
• 6 oz (170 gr) unsalted butter (soften)
• 2 cups (300 gr) of all-purpose flour

For the filling:

• 5 egg whites
• 1/3 cup (75 gr) of sugar
• 2  cups (200 gr) of almond meal
• 1/3 cup (100 gr) apricot preserve (or your favorite fruit preserve - optional)
• 1/4 cup (30 gr) of sliced almonds (I used Trader Joe's unsalted dry toasted sliced almonds)
• powdered sugar for decorating (optional)

Preparation time: 30 minutes to prepare, plus 45 minutes baking
Directions:
1. Grease an 11 in (28 cm) tart pan with butter and flour (or spray). Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C).
2. Starting with the crust: in a large bowl, beat two egg yolks with a 1/3 cup of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, two tablespoons of milk and a pinch of salt. Save the egg whites for later.

 3. Add 6 oz (one stick and a half) of butter cut in pieces and mix.

4. Blend in the flour, one cup at a time.

5. Move the dough onto the tart pan, and press it down using your hands (or a spoon). Make it s flat as possible. Work with your fingers around the edges to make it even. Remove any extra dough form the sides. Prick the dough with a fork. You can use weight for the dough. I normally don't bother, the little holes are enough to keep it flat.

6. Bake the crust at 375° F (190° C) for about 20 minutes  

Start preparing the filling: in a large bowl, whip the egg whites. Gently fold in the sugar first, and two cups of almond meal.

                                    

                                    

                                    

7. Spread the crust when ready with the apricot preserve. Pour the almond mixture on top and level helping yourself with a spoon. 

                                    

                                    

8. Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds, lower the temperature of the oven to 350° F (175° C) and bake for about 25 minutes in the middle/upper part of the oven, until slightly golden on top.

9. Wait for the tart to cool down before removing from the pan. Decorate with powdered sugar if you'd like.

 Enjoy!